Electrical meter



BEST AVAILABLE CO (No Model.) a 'T. A. EDISON.

; ELECTRICAL METER.

No; 307,030. Patented 0st. 21, 1884.

. s t the circuit a galvanometer the movement of BEST AVAILABLE coaiTED STATES PATENT QFFICE."

THOMAS EDISON, OF MENLO PARK, NEW JERSEY.

ELECTRICAL METER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 307,030, dated October 21, 1884.

. I 7 Application filed October 10, 1883. (N model.)

.fitate of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Electrical Meters, (Case No. 588,) of which the following is a specification.

The object I have in view is to produce si mple and efficient apparatus for measuring or determining the electrical energy consumed in a circuitwherein translating devices are ar ranged in, multiple arc, and especially to produce a meter suitable for use in my multipleare system of electrical distribution. This I accomplish by arranging in the main line of I whose needle controls circuits to electricallyoperated apparatnsjwinchapparatus 'eonirdis an indicating or registering device. Prefer-a bly thea-pparatus controlled by the galvanometer is used to adjust the lateral position of a stylus bearingupon atravelingstrip of paper, and marking thereon anirregular line, which will indicate at all ti mes the flow of the current. From an inspection of the marked strip it can easily be determined what energy has been consumed in the circuit. The apparatus controlled by the' galvanometer may be of any suitable character; but I prefer to use an ap paratus similar to that described in my application No. 99,559, the motion being produced by the effect of the current upon a galvanometer needle or bar, which carries an arm closing circuit at moving contacts to oprating magnets moving another arm carry- :ng the stylus and following the movements of the galvanometerarm. Thenecdle of the galvanometer is arranged in a magnetic field, and is moved out'of that field more or less by variations in the current. These variations and the movement of the galvanometer-ncedle are directly proportional to the energy consumed in the cireuit,and heneethe line marked upon the moving strip will form'an accurate record of the energy consumed. The strip may be moved by any suitable device, aclockcircuit.

vcntion; and Fig. 2, a vertical section through the galvanomcter.

lVith reference to Figs. 1 and 2, l 2 are the street conductors or mains, and 3 4 are the conductors of a house-circuit having lamps,

motors, or other translating devices arranged in multiple-arc or derived circuits therefrom. B is a galvanomctcr located in the main line of the circuit '3 4; or, as will be well understood, it may be arranged in a shunt around a definite resistance in said circuit. The galvanomcter shown has its needle a located in the field of a. magnet, b. The electrical conductor of the galvanometcr is a straight strip, 0, of low resistancc,located directly in thecircuit 3 4; but one or more coils could be used if the galvanometer were arranged in a shunt around resistancifmie needle a is pivoted directly upon the conducting-strip c, and carouter end between contacts cf, carried by an arm, (J, which follows closely the movements of the galvanometcr-arm. This arm 0 is secured to a shaft, 7, which is preferably inline with the pivot of the needle a, but, for convenience of illustration, is shown as located back ofthe pivot of a.

Upon the shaft g are mounted two ratchetwheels, D E, with teeth turncdiu opposite directions, and with these ratchctavhecls cugage pawls h 2, carried by the armature-levers I; Z of electromagnets F G. The electromagnets F G are in divisions of a multiple-arc circuit, 5 6, from 3 4. This circuit commences at 5 on the strip 0, forming part of conductor 3,and terminates at 6 on theconductor l. The circuit divides at the point 7, and extends to the contacts 0 f, the clcctroanagnets being lo cated in the divisions of the circuit. The resistance R is prefcrabl y included in the circuit. The circuit 5 (i is completed by the touching of either contact a or f by the arms d, andone division or the other of this circuit is completed, according to whether the arm touches one or the other contact. The closing of either branch of circuit 5 6 causes the electromagnet to move the arm 0 so that the coutaetwill move away from the needlc-arm and break the The needlc'arm will follow up the contact until the entire deflection due to the variation in the currentis accomplished. The

rics an arm, d. This arm plays freely at its arm 0 at any suitable point carries a stylus, in.

.This stylus bears on a strip of paper on aroller,

connection with Fig. 1, since the same is claimed in my application No. 99,559.

I am aware of German Patent.-No. 22,991, dated May 11, 1882; but in this the controllinggalvauomete'r is not in'the main line, as is the ease in my -invention.

What I claim is 1. The combination, with an electrical circuit and translating devices arranged in multiple-arc therein, of a galvanometer in the main line, a circuit controlled by said galvanometer, electrically-operated apparatusin such circuit, and indicating or registering devices operated or controlled by such apparatus, substantially as set forth.

2. In an electrical meter, the combination, with a galvahometer arranged to be affected by the current of the circuit in which the consumption of electrical energy is desired to be measured, of moving contactsat which circuits are made and broken by the galvanometerarm, and a registering or indicating apparatus controlled. thereby, substantially as set forth. 3. In an electrical. meter, the combination,

BEST AvAini C so? with a galva-nometcr-arm included in an elec trical circuit, of another arm following the a movement of such ga-lvanometer-- arm, electrically-operated devices moving such second arm, the circuit of which is controlled by the galvanomcter-arm, and a registering or indicating apparatus operated by said second arm, substantially as set forth.

4. In an electrical meter, the combination, with a galvanometer-arm, of another pivoted arm carrying on its freeend insulated contacts, between which the galranometer-arm plays, two electro-nia-gnets located in circuit with such contacts and operating pawl-levers, oppositely-arranged ratchet-wheels worked by such pawl-levers and moving said pivoted arm, and a registering or indicating apparatus, substantially as set forth.

5. In an electrical meter, the combination,

with a galvanometer, of a pivoted arm carry-- 8th day of August, 1888.

THOS. A. EDISON. Witnesses:

H. W. SEELY, E WARD H. PYATT. 

